Art Route through Lewenborg.

Artist Jeroen Doorenweerd (1962) wanted to create something from used materials to make his design sustainable. For Wal/Schip Interface, he therefore used a six-metre-long live-well fishing boat dating from 1926, which had been used for many years to catch eels. He stripped the boat of all its details and painted it a single colour. At the stern, he constructed a kind of tail fin that elegantly connects the boat to the shore.

In the spring of 2025, the artwork was restored. The colour code specified by the artist turned out more orange than the original colour. Doorenweerd therefore gave the work the nickname De Oranje Lewe (‘The Orange Lewe’), a reference to Lewenborg and the Dutch enthusiasm for the colour orange during King’s Day and major football tournaments.

The Ark of Lewenborg fits seamlessly into the neighbourhood, where everything refers to shipping and maritime life. The work was created by artist Maria Koijck (1965) together with children from local primary schools to mark Lewenborg’s 50th anniversary. A defining feature of Koijck’s art is her use of waste and leftover materials, which were also used to construct the Ark.

The artwork consists of a base incorporating bicycle parts donated by local residents, an ark featuring self-portraits by children who took part in neighbourhood clean-up activities, and a wheelhouse that refers to the manor house of the Lewe family. In this way, it is an artwork both for and by the neighbourhood.

Willow trees have been planted along one side of a long ditch in a perfectly straight, 400-metre-long row. Posts in the water are fitted with metal wires that gradually bend the trees as they grow. The artwork was designed by American dancer and choreographer William Forsythe (1949), whose background is reflected in the design: the trees resemble dancing bodies, being shaped and transformed over time.

At the same time, the design refers to a historic practice. Shipbuilders in Groningen once used a similar bending technique to give timber the right curve for the frames that formed the ‘ribcage’ of a ship.

This artwork in the pond of the Liberation Forest (Bevrijdingsbos), like the forest itself, is a tribute to the Canadians who liberated Groningen in 1945. The four-metre-high maple leaf, made of Corten steel, has 43 holes representing the Canadian soldiers who lost their lives, as well as doves symbolising peace. The torn leaf, coloured like autumn foliage, refers to the war, while its veins represent future generations entrusted with keeping the memory of the Second World War and the liberation alive.

The shape of the pond also echoes the maple leaf, Canada’s national symbol. The Liberation Forest itself consists almost entirely of 30,000 Canadian maple trees.

Freedom is Fluid is a bronze maple tree stump in the Liberation Forest, designed by artist duo Paul&Albert — Paul Mulder (1979) and Albert Buring (1977). It is a ‘silent form’ among thousands of living trees. The work explores the theme of freedom. At the heart of the stump is a date: 16 April 1945 — a historical reference point marking the moment when freedom was regained. Moving outwards from this date, the tree rings become increasingly irregular in shape, illustrating how freedom evolves over time.

Freedom is Fluid marked not only the end of the 2025 commemorative year 80 Years of Freedom in Groningen, but also the beginning of an ongoing dialogue about what freedom means.

This smooth, white sphere by artist Frans Peeters (1925–2006) appears to be split open by a deep incision. Its simple form takes centre stage, while the white colour and use of polyester further enhance its striking appearance.

The sphere was first exhibited in 1968 as part of the En plein public sculpture exhibition in Coendersborgpark in Helpman. After it was purchased by the municipality, the artwork stood for many years in the garden of the former Groninger Museum on Praediniussingel. Since 2000, it has been located here in the Drielanden neighbourhood near Lewenborg, where it remains a distinctive presence.

This white marble sculpture stands out for its flowing, oval forms. Its creator and date of origin are unknown. The sculpture was never given an official title either, only a nickname: the White Madonna.

The work was acquired by the municipality of Groningen through the Beeldende Kunstenaars Regeling (BKR), a national scheme that provided financial support to artists between 1949 and 1987. Artists who were unable to make a living from their work received an income in exchange for artworks.

In 2008, thanks to an initiative by the Kunst in Lewenborg working group, the sculpture was given a prominent place on a tall pedestal in Lewenborg-Noord.

This almost ten-metre-high artwork plays with form and connection. It consists of three elements that together form a single whole: a striking blue, pointed plexiglass roof on the school building and two Corten steel pillars in the schoolyard. The distinctive pointed shape is repeated in all three elements, playfully connecting the building and the schoolyard.

The artwork was designed in 1993 by Marja van Elsberg (1942) and Ireen Draaijers (1942), commissioned by Alfa-college.

Michiel Kluiters’ (1971) artwork Wereldplek consists of large and small stools. Three enormous stools provide shelter, while the twelve smaller ones surrounding them are designed as seating. Within a radius of around ten metres from the centre of each large stool, students can use the built-in Wi-Fi hotspot with a mobile phone or laptop.

The stools also contain a speaker and offer four interactive functions: sharing music, chatting, browsing the internet and reading the latest news. Each stool switches functions from time to time, meaning that one of the four functions is always temporarily unavailable.

Anyone visiting the playground on Vooronder in Lewenborg can hardly miss it: a colourful mural by artist Stijn Valentijn (1997) immediately catches the eye. The work of this Groningen-based artist is characterised by bright colours and bold outlines.

Valentijn prefers to work intuitively and began without a fixed plan. Holes in the brick wall sparked an idea: to him, they looked like little mouths. This inspired a series of playful portraits reflecting the cultural diversity of the neighbourhood. The mural blends naturally into its surroundings by incorporating colours already present there, such as the red of the window frames, the green of the playground equipment and the yellow of the spring rider. This connects the mural to its setting while adding a striking and cheerful touch.

The concrete bollards, which prevent drivers from cutting the corner, were also given a colourful makeover. Children from the neighbourhood painted them together with Valentijn, making this an artwork by and for the local community: a place that encourages children to play outside together and brings people together.

An artwork by George van der Wagt (1921–2007) is incorporated into the wall of the Vensterhuis in Lewenborg: a concrete panel featuring three abstract reliefs. Curved and straight lines, oval and rectangular shapes, hollows and protrusions alternate playfully. The interplay of light and shadow brings the artwork to life, creating a lively contrast with the building’s clean architectural lines.

Van der Wagt created the artwork in 1969, commissioned by the board of the technical school on Dierenriemstraat in Paddepoel. When the school building was due to be demolished, its owner, Trebbe Bouw, donated the artwork to the municipality. In consultation with CBK Groningen (now Kunstpunt Groningen), housing association In (now Lefier) and the artist, the work was given a new home in the Vensterhuis in 2008.

The Vensterhuis was designed in 2006 by Groningen-based WAL architecten. The architect gave the concrete panel a prominent position in the first-floor façade, close to the main entrance.

The rear façade of community centre Het Dok is adorned with a mural that combines playful, three-dimensional forms with fluttering butterflies, blue flowers and a honeycomb. The artwork was created by Michel Velt (1986), who is known for his street art and large-scale installations.

Velt began creating graffiti at an early age. At the Minerva Art Academy, he learned to paint and became inspired by the art of the Art Nouveau period. This movement emerged around 1890 and aimed to create a more beautiful world and a better society through art. It is characterised by elegant, decorative elements inspired by nature, with flowers and animals as recurring motifs. Velt’s own mission echoes that of the Art Nouveau artists: to make the world more beautiful through art.

His colourful murals can be found in cities around the world, including London, New York and Berlin.

This stone sculpture by Harm Blanken (1943) depicts a crouching woman hiding her face in her arms. Her posture evokes feelings of sadness, vulnerability and oppression.

The title refers to the controversial 1972 song Woman Is the Nigger of the World by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, which drew attention to the oppression and unequal treatment of women around the world. After being displayed at several locations and spending a period in storage, the sculpture was given a new home near Het Dok in March 2025, at the initiative of the Kunst in Lewenborg working group.